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Surgical

More than just routine spaying and neutering procedures, we offer advanced surgical techniques and technology in a small clinic setting. Procedures such as traditional anterior cruciate repair, bladder stone removal, spleen removal, skin biopsy or mass removal, and tooth extractions are just some of the surgeries we perform at our clinic. Our experienced and compassionate veterinary team takes every precaution so that your pet receives the highest-quality surgical care. All anaesthetics are specifically tailored to your individual pet based on breed, age, health concerns, blood results and other risk factors. We use advanced sterilization techniques, ECG and oxygen saturation monitors, warming pads to minimize hypothermia, intensive post-surgical “TLC” after care and most importantly, appropriate pain control for those more extensive surgeries. Laser therapy is also available to minimize inflammation and pain after surgery. If a more specialized procedure is required, we have access to mobile surgical personnel who will utilize our facility to perform the surgery in-house. This allows for continuity of after-care with the patient through their regular doctor giving peace of mind to our clients.

Pain Management

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Pain management is of great concern to both veterinary health care professionals and pet owners. As in human medicine, we have a variety of medications, nutraceuticals and ancillary treatments such as laser therapy to manage your pet’s pain, both before and after surgery or in the event of an injury or infection. We can also ease pain caused by chronic diseases, such as arthritis and cancers.

We would be pleased to discuss the options available to you and your pet under any of the above circumstances.

General Anesthesia

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For some procedures, your pet will need to be administered general anesthesia so that he or she will be unconscious and not feel pain. Many pet owners worry about their pets being administered general anesthesia. We can assure you that modern anesthesia is generally quite safe; to further lower any risk, we perform a physical examination and run blood work ahead of time to catch any underlying health issues. In addition, we follow a specific anesthetic protocol, including monitoring vital signs during the procedure, to ensure the safety of our patients.

We begin most general anesthetic procedures by administering a sedative to help the pet relax and decrease any anxiety and pain. We then administer an intravenous drug to provide complete anesthesia and place a breathing tube into the patient’s trachea (windpipe). To maintain the state of unconsciousness, we deliver a gas anesthetic in combination with oxygen through the breathing tube.

Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns about your pet receiving general anesthesia or about the procedure for which your pet is scheduled.

Local Anesthesia

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If your pet is having a minor surgical or diagnostic procedure performed, we sometimes use a local anesthetic to help control pain. For example, when we perform a biopsy (in which a small portion of tissue is surgically removed so it can be examined), we often use a local anesthetic. Local anesthetics cause a loss of sensation in the area where the procedure is being performed. We sometimes use a sedative and/or anxiolytic (anti-anxiety medication) in combination with the local anesthetic to keep pets calm during a procedure.

Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns about your pet receiving local anesthesia or about the procedure for which your pet is scheduled.

Dentistry

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Regular professional cleaning is important to maintaining your pet’s teeth and subsequently vital organs such as the heart, kidneys and liver. We use modern and safe ultrasonic and hand scalers to clean each tooth thoroughly – above and below the gum line, front and back. A proper cleaning cannot be done in the awake animal although home brushing does help.  A general anesthesia is required to do a thorough job. Dental technicians polish the teeth to create a smooth, lustrous tooth surface that is more resistant to plaque buildup. Fluoride treatments help strengthen enamel and reduce tooth sensitivity. Full mouth xrays are also available to evaluate the tooth health that is hidden under the gumline.  Any teeth that are problematic are evaluated to determine if extractions are necessary.  Problematic teeth SHOULD be extracted to maintain the long-term health of your pet. Gum disease is painful and leads to loose teeth and is a source of serious infection to body organs. Our veterinarians are trained to know which teeth require removal and will only recommend extraction when there are no other options.  There is a misconception that dogs that have no teeth cannot eat.  This is not true.  Over the years, our clinic has never had a pet that would not eat after having multiple teeth (and in rare cases “ALL” teeth) pulled.  In fact, pets that are pain free are happier and healthier and owners have commented that once those diseased teeth were removed, their pet was acting like a youngster again.

Spaying

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Spaying your pet has many benefits. The procedure, which prevents female animals from becoming pregnant and reproducing, can help your dog or cat live a longer, healthier life. Spaying will not change your pet’s personality.

By spaying your female pet, you’re protecting her against potentially deadly diseases, including bacterial infections, reproductive tract diseases, and several types of cancer. You also won’t have to worry about her going into heat. This means avoiding the mess that often accompanies the heat cycle in female dogs and the pacing and crying that happens with female cats. In addition, spaying your pet will help control the dog and cat overpopulation problem, keeping more animals out of shelters.

Spaying, which involves removing the ovaries and uterus, is a surgical procedure and does need to be performed with the pet under anesthesia. We follow strict protocols and continually monitor your pet’s vital signs to help ensure her safety. Please see the descriptions under Anesthesia and Patient Monitoring for more information on what we do to keep your pet safe.

To set up an appointment to have your pet spayed or to learn more about this procedure, call or visit our clinic. If you are struggling with the decision of whether to spay your pet, please call us so we can discuss your concerns.

Neutering

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Neutering your pet has many benefits. The procedure, which prevents male animals from reproducing, can help your dog or cat live a longer, healthier life. Neutering will not change your pet’s personality.

By neutering your pet, you’re reducing or eliminating his risk for prostate and testicular cancer, as well as sexually transmitted diseases. Neutering will also reduce or eliminate undesirable and embarrassing behaviour, including roaming, fighting, humping, and spraying. In addition, neutering your pet will help control the dog and cat overpopulation problem, keeping more animals out of shelters.

Neutering, which involves removing the testicles, is a surgical procedure and does need to be performed with the pet under anesthesia. We follow strict protocols and continually monitor your pet’s vital signs to help ensure his safety. Please see the descriptions under Anesthesia and Patient Monitoring for more information on what we do to keep your pet safe.

To set up an appointment to have your pet neutered or to learn more about this procedure, please call or visit our clinic. If you are struggling with the decision of whether to neuter your pet, please call us so we can discuss your concerns.

Soft Tissue Surgery

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We perform many types of soft tissue surgeries at our clinic. Soft tissue surgeries are those that are not associated with bone. These surgeries can provide many benefits to pets.

Probably the most common soft tissue surgery performed on pets is the removal of masses, or lumps. Most of these masses, once removed and tested, are found to be benign (nonharmful); however, occasionally they are more serious. Early removal and accurate diagnosis of a lump is necessary to improve the outcome in your pet if the mass is cancerous.

If your dog suffers from frequent ear infections, surgical intervention can reduce their occurrence by improving airflow into the ear canal.

Surgery can also help resolve several problems related to the eyes. Tearing in your pet’s eyes can mean an infection is present or may be a sign that the cornea (outer layer of the eye) has been damaged. Surgery may allow the cornea to heal faster with less scarring, improving your pet’s ability to see. In some pets, the eyelashes may actually damage the cornea. Surgical intervention improves comfort in these pets, reduces the chances of corneal scarring, and enhances the pet’s vision in the long term.

Please contact us if you’d like to discuss how soft tissue surgery might be able to help your pet.

Orthopaedic Surgery

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We perform many types of orthopaedic (bone) surgeries in our clinic. Because we want to ensure that our patients receive the best possible outcome, we occasionally refer them to board-certified orthopaedic surgeons to perform back surgery and other very complex surgeries.

Leg fractures are the most common orthopaedic problem presented at our clinic and usually result from a mishap with an automobile. They can be treated in a variety of ways depending on the location and type of fracture. We can apply a cast to treat certain fractures; however, many fractures will require surgical intervention:

  • “Pinning” stabilizes the fracture by inserting a long stainless steel rod into the middle of the bone across the fractured area.
  • “Plating” involves attaching a flat stainless steel plate to the bone using screws on either side of the fracture.
  • “External fixation” stabilizes fractures using a series of pins on the outside of the leg that pass through the skin and into the bone on either side of the fracture.

We also perform a lot of orthopaedic surgeries related to hip dysplasia and disc disease. Please contact us if you have any questions about these procedures or if you think your pet might benefit from them.